One goal definitely on Kendricks' mind: ‘Pro Bowl — I haven’t reached that yet’
BEREA Mychal Kendricks reached the pinnacle of professional football four months ago when he helped the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl, but the veteran linebacker has yet to achieve the individual excellence he seeks.
The Browns, in his mind, will present him with an opportunity to do so.
"We did something special over there [in Philadelphia], and I’ll always, always care and have love for those guys," Kendricks said Tuesday after the eighth practice of organized team activities and the final one open to media. "But I have personal goals, too. So being here allows me to reach those personal goals more so."
What would Kendricks like to accomplish?
"Pro Bowl — I haven’t reached that yet," he said.
Kendricks passed a physical and signed a one-year contract Monday afternoon reportedly worth a maximum of $3.5 million. The Browns announced the move Tuesday morning and released linebacker Tank Carder to create room on the roster for Kendricks.
Browns coach Hue Jackson said Kendricks can play all of the linebacker positions in the 4-3 base scheme employed by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, but Jackson added Kendricks would begin his tenure with his new team by working at middle linebacker.
That would put Kendricks, who played primarily weakside linebacker last season with the Eagles, in a competition with Joe Schobert for a starting job. Schobert was a surprise success story last year in his first season as a full-time starter. He played in the Pro Bowl after being voted a first alternate, though he’s not as proven as strongside linebacker Jamie Collins or weakside linebacker Christian Kirksey.
"It’s competition," Jackson said. "I think that our players get it. Our job is to put the best football players on the team and then let that take care of itself. There’s nothing wrong with that. I think that our guys welcome that. I do not think that anybody is upset because we put better football players on the team.
"[Kendricks] is a really good football player. Obviously, he brings a unique skill set to our football team. He can cover. He can rush. He can play the run. He can play the pass."
When Kendricks and the Browns agreed to terms Sunday night, Yahoo Sports reported he’ll start immediately in Cleveland.
"I don’t know about that," he said. "As long as I’ve played football, I’ve always had to compete for everything that I’ve earned, and that’s the way it’s going to be."
Kendricks said it’s premature to discuss his position, but he expressed a desire to bolster a linebacking corps that already had three established starters. Schobert and Kirskey played every defensive snap last season. Collins missed 10 games — three with a concussion and the final seven with a torn medial collateral ligament — but made the Pro Bowl in 2015 with the New England Patriots. Kirksey and Collins received massive contract extensions last year.
"I get to play with some dogs," Kendricks said. "I get to compete against them. I get to play with them. And the more, the better. We want to be a good team. We’re going to be a great team. So I’m glad I can add to that."
Kendricks explained he asked the Eagles to trade him last offseason because he wasn’t satisfied with his playing time. They declined his request and proceeded to start him in 13 of 16 regular-season games and all three playoff games. Then they cut him May 22, saving $6 million in salary-cap space.
"Winning a Super Bowl doesn’t change my mind," Kendricks said about his desire for a more prominent role. "We did something great, and it’s awesome, and I was a huge part of that. But, like I said, there’s still personal goals that I want to reach."
Kendricks, 27, will need to become fully healthy first. He sat out Tuesday’s practice with what Jackson described as "ankle soreness." Kendricks had ankle surgery in March.
"I’m ready to go, but there’s no need to push it right now," said Kendricks, who compiled 55 tackles, including two sacks, and six passes defensed last season, his sixth in the NFL. "I want to make sure I’m healthy and ready for the season."
Until Kendricks arrived, linebacker was the only position new Browns General Manager John Dorsey hadn’t upgraded this offseason with a veteran.
"We’re trying to get as many dominant players as we can. That’s our focus," Kirksey said. "We’re trying to change this program around, especially after last season, going 0-16. We’re trying to really make a statement and bring as many veteran players, as many good players, as we can, and I think that he’ll be a great addition for us."
Kendricks promised to make a difference as long as he’s on the field.
"I know that what I will bring is intensity, passion, a love for the game, a skill set that I hope will showcase itself and leadership," he said. "I feel like in whatever way I can help, I’m going to do that."
Kendricks said he’s "happy to be here" and outlined why he vehemently denied he would sign with the Browns when NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported it Sunday afternoon.
"Even if that’s the end result and what happened and where I’m at now, at that moment in time, that was just not the case," Kendricks said. "... I don’t really have too much respect for self-serving actions like that. But you know he was right. He ended up being right. So that being said, good for him. It’s just at that moment in time, there’s a whole business side of this thing where my agent’s working things out, and we didn’t really want that to alter anything."
His free-agency tour consisted of visits last week with the Browns, Oakland Raiders and Minnesota Vikings, who start his brother, Eric, at linebacker.
"No disappointment," Kendricks said about not joining Eric. "It was cool just getting that visit and going to chill with him, seeing him. Rare opportunity, of course, right? But I mean we spoke about it, and, like I said, there’s a business side of this thing, and it’s all about my opportunities and where I think I would fit. So as much as I would have loved to play with my brother, there’s personal goals that I have, and he knows that and it doesn’t change our relationship."